Lens edger



Dec. 26, 1961 E. H. NOVAK 3,014,314

LENS EDGER Filed May 27, 1959 s sheets-sheet 2 EZQA H- NOVAK INVENTQQ. M

AT TODN EVS E. H. NOVAK Dec. 26, 1961 LENS EDGER 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledMay 27, 1959 EZQA H. NOVAK INVENTOQ. BY M ATTOQN evs United StatesPatent 3 .ii14,3ll l LENS EDGER Ezra Novels, 2802 W. 7th St., LosAngeles, (Iaiif. Filed May 27, 1959, Ser. No. 816,328 14 Claims. (Cl.51-401) This invention has to do with apparatus for grinding andfinishing the edges of lenses, such as spectacle lenses, and has as anobject the provision of a machine which has novel and efficientmechanical actuating means for controlling the driving mechanism tocarry out an edge grinding and finishing operation.

An additional object is to provide a machine of this character which iscapable of completing a grinding operation during a single revolution ofthe lens.

Another object is to provide a machine of this character whichincorporates novel and efiicient chuck means for holding the lens duringthe grinding operation.

Another object is the provision of a lens edging machine which includesnovel means for centering and aligning the lens between opposed chucks.

A further object is to provide a construction of this character whichhas novel features of adjustability.

Another object is to provide a lens edger having adjustable means forvarying the pressure of a lens edge against the grinder wheel.

A still further object is to provide novel means for insuring the propercentering of a lens between the lens holding chucks.

Other objects and corresponding advantages will appear hereinafter.

While I shall point out in the appended claims the features which Ibelieve to be new, I shall now, for the purpose of making clear to thoseskilled in the art how to carry my invention into practice, describe apresently preferred embodiment thereof, for which purpose I shall referto the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational View;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view;

FIG. 3 is a reduced view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a reduced view taken on line 55 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view taken on line 66 of FIG. 5

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view, partly in section and partly in frontelevation, showing the head mounting;

FIG. 8 is a view taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary section taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a view taken on line ill-10 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 11 is a view taken on line 11l1 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a device for centering the lens when itis being mounted between the chucks; and

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a lens marking element.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 5 denotes a base, from therear end of which an upright portion 6 extends. The upright 6 has a backwall 6a, side walls 6b and a top wall 6c. A conventional electric motorM is mounted on the rear end of the base.

A grinder wheel 15 is secured on a shaft 17 journaled in bearings 18carried by the base. The hub portion 19 of the wheel engages thecontiguous ends of the bearings 18. An oil cup 20 is provided for eachbearing, and each bearing is secured on the base by bolts and nuts 21.

A pair of pulleys of relatively different diameters are secured on theleft end of shaft 17 to selectively receive a continuous belt 26 whichalso extends about a selected one of a pair of pulleys 27 of relativelydifierent diameters mounted on the motor shaft 28.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the grinder wheel has ice a relativelywide peripheral surface portion 15a and a V-grooved portion 15b.

On the right-hand end of the shaft 17, I secure a pair of pulleys 30, ofrelatively diiterent diameters, from any selected one of which pulleys acontinuous belt 32 extends about any selected one of a pair of pulleys35 (FIG. 6) mounted on a shaft 37 journaled in a bearing 38 carried by aside wall 6!) of the upright 6. The pulleys 35, while secured together,are both mounted for free r0- tation on and relative to the shaft 37. Aflexible, driven shaft as is' secured on the left-hand end of the shaft37 by a suitable connector 42.

A gear 45, disposed in a housing 47, is secured on shaft 37 for.cooperation with a clutch mechanism, generally denoted 5%, to behereinafter described. The inner pulley- 35a is resiliently frictionallyconnected to the gear 45 only by an arched leaf spring 52, so as topermit slippage as between pulley 35a and gear 45 when the gear 45 issubjected to the braking action of the clutch 50.

The clutch 5t) (FIGS. 5 and 6) includes a pinion 5S rotatably carried ona spindle 57. A clutch disc 58 is secured on the inner end of the pinion55, the disk rotating between a resilient pad 6%, carried on the innerend of an adjustment screw 32, and a resilient pad 64 secured on thefree end of a leaf spring 65 which latter is secured atits inner end tothe wall 6b as by a rivet 66.- The spring 65 normally urges the pad 6 tothe left, or out of braking engagement with the disk 58. The spindle 57,on which pinion 55 is mounted, is, as shown in FIG. 5, carried by an arm67 of a bell crank 61 pivoted to side wall 6b of the upright 6 by pivotpin 62. The other arm 67a of the bell crank may be used for swinging thecrank about the pivot er. to disengage the pinion 55 from gear 45 whendesired.

The pad 64 is, as shown in FIG. 6, normally in yieldable engagement withthe disk 58 by pressure exerted by wire 63, so that the disk and thepinion are normally braked to prevent rotation of the gear 45. However,when pressure exerted by wire 65 is relieved the pad 64- is moved, bythe spring 65 out of braking engagement with the disk so that the gear45 is free to rotate, causing the shaft 37 to rotate. This brakereleasing movement of the pad 64 is effected by axial movement of a wire63 axially mounted in a flexible tube 63. The mechanism for so movingthe wire 63 will be hereinafter described.

Means for chucking and rotating the lens blank relative to the grinderwheel will now be described.

I provide a head member 7% which is mounted for both vertical andlateral adjustment relative to the grinder wheel in the following manner(FIGS. 7-9);

As best shown in FIGS. 7-9, a screw 67 is mounted uprightly within theportion 6 of the base and has a pointed bottom end which engages athreadedly adjustable support 67a carried by the base. The top end ofthis screw is axially socketed to receive the squared bottom end (notshown) of an actuating pin 69 journaled in the top Wall 60 of theupright portion of the base; the pin carrying handle 69a to facilitatemanually rotating it. An internally threaded sleeve 71 threadedlyengages screw 67 and is restrained from rotating with the screw by meansof an arm '76 whose inner end is fixed to the sleeve in embracingrelationship thereto. The sleeve 71 has, atits top end, a relativelylarge exterior portion 71a which has an integral crossarm portion 71bpresenting a diagonal left end portion 71c (FIG. 9), and has bracketportions 71d, one on each side of the portion 710. Link member 77 ispivotally connected to a bracket portion 71d by pivot member 71e; andthe head 70 is rigidly secured to the outer end of the link 77, asby'bolt 7711..

It will be observed that the pivotal connection of the link 77 to thebracket portion 71d is such as to permit swinging of the link 77 as wellas the head in a vertical spring (not shown) is mounted in the post 154below the bottom end of the pin 16:? so that the pin is normally urgedoutwardly of the post. A cup 177 is carried by another portion of thetop surface of the base and within the cup there is an inked pad 178.

In using the lens marking element, the user first rotates the knurledknob portion 179 of the pin to swing the disk 172 into position aboveand in register with the cup 177. The user then depresses the pin 166 tocause the fingers 174 to engage the inked pad 178 to receive a coatingof ink. The user then returns the disk into position above and inregister with the lens blank L on the pad 175 and depresses the pin 166to cause the fingers to resiliently engage and apply markings 1843 tothe lens at points spaced apart 90 adjacent the periphery of the lensblank.

The lens applying and retaining device 161 (FIG. 12) includes a clamphaving two relatively swingable springloaded jaws 185, 186 pivotallysecured together between their ends at 187.

The jaw 186 has a bifurcated outer end portion 189. The bifurcations areparallel at their outer end portions 189a and curved at and adjacenttheir intersecting portions 1891;. The top surface of the bifurcationsis cut away to provide a recess 1% to conform to the peripheral portionof either of the chucks, and carries a plurality of soft pads 191 aswell as 90 spaced marking indicia 192. The bifurcated top jaw 185 clampsthe marked lens blank L, shown in FIG. 13, against the pads and with theindicia markings 180 on the lens in register with the indicia markings192 on the jaw 186. The bottom jaw 186 also carries, at the intersectionof the bifurcations, an outwardly projecting finger 193 for engagementin a pe ripheral slot 185 in a selected one of the chucks.

Thus, after the lens blank is marked in the marker shown in FIG. 13 andmounted between the jaws of the holder 161, the chucks are separated andthe holder 161, with its carried lens blank, is inserted between thechucks with the cut-away portion 191 of the jaw 186 engaging oversubstantially 180 of the peripheral surface of the chuck at the outeredge of the latter, and with the finger 193 engaging in the slot 1&5.This insures that the lens blank is properly centered between thechucks.

For maintaining the periphery of the grinder wheel wetted duringgrinding, I provide a water container 2011, supported on top wall 6c. Amanually controllable out let valve 292 is provided for the containeroutlet to deposit water from the container into the funnel-like inletend 203 of a conduit 2t15'whose discharge end is positioned to depositthev water on the periphery of the grinder wheel.

Operation The user installs a template 83 on the chuck shaft 35, theperiphery of the template defining the desired peripheral shape towhichthe lens blank is to be ground. The knob 1132 is then unscrewed toallow the spring 91) to move the chuck shaft 73- axialiy to the right inFIG. 3 to separate the chucks. After having marked the lens and mountedit in the clamp device 161, the user positions the lens incenteredposition between and relative to the chucks, after which the knob 1&2 isrotated to cause the spring 90 to move the chuck shaft '73 axially tothe left to clamp the lens blank between the chucks.

In edging some lenses, it is desirable first to grind the periphery ofthe lens blank generally to the shape desired by engaging the peripheryof the lens blank with the flat surface portion a of the grinder wheel.Then, after this first grinding operation, the head 7 may be swung tothe right and lowered into the position of PEG. 2 to bring the lensblank into register with the grooved portion 15b of the grinder wheel.

To lower bracket 138 and its carried clutch-actuating elements intoposition to cause the lens blank to engage 6 in groove 15b, thev userswings: the lever 152 to operate the cam 15 4 The nut 148 is rotatedmanually to bring the shoe 142 into the desired position. in relation tothe template to off by the grinder wheel until sufficient is ground offto cause the template to depress the shoe 142. When this occurs, thebell crank will functionto disengage the pad 64- from the clutch disk,permitting shaft 4% to be rotated by pulley 35. Thus the chucks will berotated until a next adjacent highpoint of the lens edge is reached,which causes the template to again depressingly engage the shoe 14-2,which will'again cause the clutch to arrest rotation of gear 45 andthereby stop rotation of the chucks until the high point of the lensedge is ground off.

The foregoing-described sequences of operation continue.

until the lens has been rotated through a complete revolution.

If it should be desired temporarily to eliminate the controlof therotation of the chucks effected by engagement of the template with theshoe 142, so that the chucks might be rotated continuously rather thanintermittently, this can be accomplished by the user swinging lever 67ato the left, in FIG; 5, to-free the clutch pinion 55 from engagementwith gear 45. Normally the clutch pinion is resiliently held inengagement with said gear by a spring 210.

I claim:

1. In a lens grinding machine, a driven grinder wheel,

lens-carrying chucks rotatably supported for adjustment relative to saidgrinder wheel, a drive shaft operatively connected to said chucks, atemplate supported for rotative movement with such chucks, apower-driven pulley mounted on said drive shaft for rotation relativethereto, a gear secured on said drive shaft, a slip connection betweensaid gear and said pulley, a bell crank supported in position forengagement by said template and a brake operably associated with saidbell crank for arresting rotation of said gear whereby to cause saidpulley to retate relative to said drive shaft.

2. In a lens grinding machine, a driven grinder wheel, lens-carryingchucks rotatably supported for adjustment relative to said grinderwheel, a drive shaft operatively connected to said chucks, a templatesupported for rotative movements with such chucks, a power-driven pulleymounted on said shaft for rotation relative thereto, a gear secured onsaid shaft, a slip connection between said gear and said pulley, a bellcrank supported in position for engagement with said template, a clutchincluding a pinion rotatably supported in meshing engagement with saidgear, a disk carried by said pinion for rotation therewith, adisk-engaging brake, a spring supporting said brake, said springnormally urging said brake out of engagement with said disk, andmechanical means connecting said bell crank tosaid spring wherebynormally to cause said spring to hold said brake in engagement with saiddisk; said mechanical means being operable in response to movement ofsaid bell crank in one direction to cause said spring to move said brakeout of engagement with said disk.

3. The machine of claim 2 wherein said bell crank is supported foradjustment relative to said template.

4. The machine of claim 2 wherein said means connecting said bell crankto said spring comprises a flexible wire axially slideably mounted in aflexible tube and wherein said wire and tube are movable into bowedposition in response to movement of said bell crank.

5. In apparatus for grinding the edge of a lens, a body, a power-drivengrinder wheel rotatably carried by said body, a head member supported bysaid body for movement towards and away from the grinding surface ofsaid grinder wheel, chuck shafts rotatably carried by said head memberin coaxial alignment, one of said chuck shafts being axially adjustablymovable towards and away from the other, a pair of chucks carried bysaid respective shafts, said chucks being disposed to clampingly engagetherebetween a lens to be ground with its edge in engage ment with saidgrinding surface, a template carried by one of said chuck shafts coaxialwith the said chucks, means for controllably rotating said chuck shafts,including a drive shaft operatively connected to said chuck shafts, adriven pulley mounted on said drive shaft for rotation relative thereto,a gear secured on said drive shaft, spring means interposed between andresiliently engaging said pulley and gear and constituting the soledriving connection between said pulley and said gear, brake meansoperatively associated with said gear to arrest rotation thereof wherebyto arrest rotation of said drive shaft, and mechanical brake-actuatingmeans carried by said body in position to be operatively engaged by saidtemplate.

6. The apparatus of claim wherein said brake means includes a pinionmeshing with said gear, a disk coaxial with and secured to said pinion,and braking means carried by said body for movement into and out ofbraking engagement with said disk.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 which additionally includes means for movingsaid pinion out of meshing engagement with said gear whereby to rendersaid brake means inoperative.

8. In apparatus for grinding the edge of a lens, a body, a power-drivengrinder Wheel rotatably carried by said body, a head member supported bysaid body for move ment towards and away from the grinding surface ofsaid grinder wheel, chuck shafts rotatably carried by said head memberin coaxial alignment, one of said chuck shafts being axially adjustablymovable towards and away from the other, a pair of chucks carried bysaid respective shafts, said chucks being disposed to clampingly engagetherebetween a lens blank to be ground with its edge in engagement withsaid grinding surface, a template secured on one of said chuck shaftscoaxial with the said chucks, means for controllably rotating said chuckshafts; said last-named means including a spring-loaded bell crankpivotally carried by said body in position to have one of its armsengaged by said template, a drive shaft rotatably carried by said bodyand operatively connected to said chuck shafts, a driven pulley mountedon said drive shaft for rotation relative thereto, a gear secured onsaid driveshaft adjacent said pulley, spring means interposed betweenand resiliently engaging said pulley and said gear and constituting aslippable friction driving connection between said pulley and said gear,brake means operatively associated with said gear to arrest rotationthereof and including a pinion rotatively sup ported for meshingengagement with said gear, a disk secured to said pinion coaxiallytherewith, a resilient pad, a leaf spring secured at one end to saidbody and supporting said pad at its other end in position to engage anddisengaged from said disk, and said spring normally urging said pad outof engagement with said disk, and actuating means connecting the otherarm of said bell crank to said leaf spring and being operative inresponse to pressure engagement of said template with saidfirstmentioned arm of said bell crank to permit said leaf spring to movesaid pad out of braking engagement with said disk.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said actuating means comprises aflexible wire and a flexible tubular housing for said wire, said wirebeing axially movable with relation to said housing.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 which additionally includes a crank membersupporting said pinion for movement into and out of meshing engagementwith said gear.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 which additionally includes a secondresilient pad disposed in opposed relationship to said first-mentionedpad at the opposite side of said disk, and adjustable screw meanssupporting said second resilient pad in position to engage said disk inopposition to said first-mentioned resilient pad.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said bell crank is adjustabletoward and away from said template.

13. In apparatus for grinding the edge of a lens, a

body, a lens grinding wheel drivingly carried by said body, a headmember adjustably carried by said body, lens carrying chuck meansrotatably carried by said head member, means for rotating said chuckmeans, a template operatively associated with said chuck means forcontrolling the peripheral shape of said lens, a mechanical clutchoperative in response to grinding of said lens by said grinding wheel tointermittently cause rotation of said chuck means, mechanical clutchactuating means operatively associated with said template, andmechanical means for rendering said clutch means inoperative and tocause continuous rotation of said chuck means.

. 14. The apparatus of claim 13 in which said clutch means includes aspring loaded control element and wherein said clutch actuating meansincludes a bell crank operatively associated with said template, aflexible tube, and a flexible wire axially slidably mounted in saidtube, said wire being operabiy connected at one end to said bell crankand operably connected at its other end to said spring loaded clutchcontrol element and being operative to move said last named element inone direction by bowing laterally in response to movement of said bellcrank.

References @ited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,197,785 Arnold Sept. 12, 1916 1,269,680 Bugbee June 18, 1918 1,452,917Kovacs Apr. 24, 1923 1,494,333 Bausch May 20, 1924 1,630,264 Gunning May31, 1927 2,164,155 Lemay June 27, 1939 2,508,099 Bonin May 16, 19502,765,523 Vaughan Oct. 9, 1956 2,871,627 Bringelson et a1. Feb. 3, 1959FOREIGN PATENTS 681,311 Great Britain Oct. 22, 1952 1,145,211 FranceOct. 23, 1957 788,471 Great Britain Jan. 2, 1958 W 47 3 INVENTOR.

Dec. 26, 1961 F. D. CLAYTON 3,014,315

GRAVEL WASHER Filed April 15, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l I I2 Few/441M 0.(M/45W BY 37 z alzm Argue/V5)

